WASHINGTON (CNN) - Sarah Palin's political action committee violated federal election laws with two donations earlier this year and filed a mid-year report with a number of errors in it, according to the Federal Election Commission.

In a five-page letter to SarahPAC treasurer Tim Crawford, the FEC highlights a number of issues with the filed report, including donating more than is allowed to the reelection campaigns of Sens. John McCain and Lisa Murkowski, as well as not providing proper descriptions on how some of the PAC's money was spent.

Contacted by CNN, Crawford said the committee was currently revising the report to fix the errors and said these types of mistakes are not uncommon with FEC filings.

"A million of these [correction letters] go out every month," Crawford said. "They send out a lot of them.

A spokesman for the FEC said its standard practice for all reports to be reviewed, but would not estimate how many PAC's usually have to file corrections.

Specifically, the FEC notes SarahPAC gave $5,000 to McCain and Murkowski's primary campaigns - $2,600 more than is allowed for a PAC of SarahPAC's designation to give to a primary effort. SarahPAC also designated the donation for the senators' 2009 primary when in fact the primaries are in 2010.

To fix the error, Crawford said the PAC will allocate $2,400 to the senators' primary campaigns and $2,400 to the general election effort as is allowed under election laws. The PAC has also obtained a $200 refund from both campaigns to make up the difference.

"We essentially gave $200 too much," Crawford said. "We have since redesignated with both committees."

Crawford attributed some of the mistakes to being a new PAC and also noted FEC software that was supposed to flag mistakes when reports are initially submitted showed no errors with their filing.

"We filed what we thought was perfectly right," Crawford said. "If there is a violation, the FEC won't accept the report, but ours was accepted with no warnings or violations."

soundoff(301 Responses)

Her organization doesn't actually have to follow the law... Remember she's a maverick!

August 28, 2009 11:47 am at 11:47 am |

Randy

She needs Rangel to show her how to hide the money.

August 28, 2009 11:47 am at 11:47 am |

Judy Ann

For al of the Palin clan, please don't even think about her being a President for this country because it would be just like living in Iraq.

August 28, 2009 11:47 am at 11:47 am |

gl, From Pittsburgh

Specifically, the FEC notes SarahPAC gave $5,000 to McCain and Murkowski's primary campaigns — $2,600 more than is allowed for a PAC of SarahPAC's designation to give to a primary effort. SarahPAC also designated the donation for the senators' 2009 primary when in fact the primaries are in 2010.

She is dumper than a box of rocks.

August 28, 2009 11:48 am at 11:48 am |

Real Dem Abroad

Oh. THERE'S a surprise.

August 28, 2009 11:48 am at 11:48 am |

champly

CNN is scared to death that Palin is going to rise to power. Or is it Rahm and Barry speaking through CNN. Same difference I suppose.

August 28, 2009 11:49 am at 11:49 am |

Dutch/Bad Newz, VA - I'm a dumb demo

"A million of these [correction letters] go out every month," Crawford said. "They send out a lot of them."

There is no story here. Rant on you ignorant Dems!

August 28, 2009 11:49 am at 11:49 am |

mckenzie

PALIN IS AN ABSOLUTE IDIOT! Why is she still in the news? There are far more important things to discuss than her.

August 28, 2009 11:49 am at 11:49 am |

just joe

CNN STRIKES AGAIN!!!!,,,,man, reading "news" on this site is like sitting and watching paint dry......nothing shows but the biases~

August 28, 2009 11:49 am at 11:49 am |

Four and The Door

It's kind of an odd story, but I don't mind. It's great keeping up with Sarah Palin. She is a political star and I look forward to supporting her run for national office. I just wish it was sooner. This other direction is diggin us in a hole deeper than we ever want to be in.

August 28, 2009 11:49 am at 11:49 am |

Jay

Why is Palin in the news again. If you want her to be President then please send her to school now so she will be finish by the time for Election to Idiot President. I don't know why so many people think Sara Palin can be a leader without First Dude sticking his hand in the cookie jar. Sara is so unethical till it ain't funny.

She can't lead a song on a Sunday morning choir. Please people if you really want to pick someone why not Mr. Steele for President and everyone will be laughing all the way to the polls.

August 28, 2009 11:51 am at 11:51 am |

Jefe

Sarah Palin is not qualified for a job. I didn't mean "the job", I meant ANY job. While this may not be a big deal, its clear she is a total mess. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if she is a prescription drug junkie.

While I truly believe anyone who thinks President Obama is a Communist should re-take High School Civics, I agree we need to stamp out Socialism wherever it rears its ugly head. For starters, I propose we bulldoze all fire departments, police departments, public schools, libraries, and roads. They are evil, socialist institutions. Maybe even the military. Look how honorable and inexpensive Blackwater was compared to the Marines. /end sarcasm

August 28, 2009 11:52 am at 11:52 am |

ANGIE IN PA

She quit her Job
She cant manage her schedules
she cant manage her finances

and some want her President?

hahahahahahahah lolololol hahahahahahahahahahahah NEVER GONNA HAPPEN IN THIS LIFE TIME! HAHAHAHAHAHAH

August 28, 2009 11:54 am at 11:54 am |

Rick in the Heartland

We're gonna need more Palin.

I admit it; I'm a liberal. I love reading about Palin. At least I don't watch FOX "news." She's as close to the National Enquirer as I want to get.

BUT; when is news an ATTACK! Right wingnuts it's time to SHUT UP. If Fox dedicated more time to REAL news and not made-up Beckian and Hannityish conspiracy theories, maybe you'd figure out what's important in this country.

August 28, 2009 11:55 am at 11:55 am |

Doug

Maybe they should have sent some people to stand at polling locations and threaten voters instead. No one in the current administration seems to have a problem with that.

August 28, 2009 11:55 am at 11:55 am |

Dizzy Man

A million of these correction letters go out each month ... but Sarah Palin's is the only one that makes the news .... making it look bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, bad. How interesting.

August 28, 2009 11:55 am at 11:55 am |

I can see Canada from my house!

This is not worthwhile news, CNN. If she had personally committed some real error that shows a conflict of interest, by all means cover the story. This is penny-ante stuff.

Obviously, I don't like her, but be a news service, not a propaganda arm like FOXNews.

August 28, 2009 11:56 am at 11:56 am |

Dominican mama 4 Obama

Okay, look, I could jump all over this OR I could face the fact that stuff happens. You're dealing, in this case, with minutae. Tons of paperwork, record-keeping, dotting of the 'i's' and 't's'. Stuff is bound to happen. Weak attempt at another Sarah Pailin slam-dunk. Tempting...but weak.

August 28, 2009 11:56 am at 11:56 am |

John P.

Hear ye! Hear ye! Sarah Palin ate her entree with her salad fork. An investigation is underway. We will have a full report at 11:00.

August 28, 2009 11:56 am at 11:56 am |

Marvin

So, I guess CNN will not report on Congressman Rangel's failure to report $500,000 in income because SarahPac made a $400 error.

August 28, 2009 11:57 am at 11:57 am |

single mom

I'm really starting to wonder what is motivating CNN to continue reporting on a private citizen. There is so much else going on in the world that is more important and more relevant. If you are going to report so closely on former Governor Palin's mistakes, are you going to do the same with, say, a Democrat? There are Democrats throughout the country who have scheduling problems and misfile FEC records. Where are the stories on them?

August 28, 2009 11:58 am at 11:58 am |

ThinkAgain

I believe this is news in that the public has a right to know just how incompetent this woman is. She has her eye on the White House and has a pattern of using lies and manipulation to get her way.

As boring as it has become to hear about another simpleton mistake this woman and/or her staff have made, the public (with its notoriously short attention span) should be made aware of her activities, especially when it concerns the FEC and campaign finances.

August 28, 2009 11:59 am at 11:59 am |

JT

sick and tired of Sarah Palins news.

August 28, 2009 11:59 am at 11:59 am |

Jessica

how is this a story?

must be a slow news day...or the people who "think" this was news, are tools. either way, it doesnt look good...